Deja Vu
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: A future fic one shot inspired by a scene in 'Smoke and Mirrors'.


The buzz of many voices competing to be heard along with the pounding music made conversation at the Fort Green nightclub difficult. But the two people standing at the bar, looking around the room didn't have to rely on their ears. They could use their minds to talk to each other. Cara held a martini while Stephen, having been carded and not remembering to bring a fake id, had to content himself with seltzer water with a twist.

He was pretty certain he didn't have Cara's full attention. When she had casually suggested they go out on a date and then insisted that they come here, he had been slightly surprised, but good naturedly decided to go along with it. They so seldom had time for themselves that he would have gone anywhere she suggested, but since entering the club she had been totally distracted, barely saying a word to him. He felt a violent surge of emotion from her, quickly suppressed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Her flat, purposely, emotionlessl tone and glittering blue eyes told a different story.

He followed her line of sight and was dismayed to see two blonde heads together at a table. One of those heads he knew – John. The other belonged to a young girl that was, well, was all over John. She had one hand cupped around his neck, demanding his attention, while she leaned into him, her other hand pressed flat against the breast of his well-cut suit jacket.

"Great, it's John. He's probably tracking a rogue TP and you know we promised Jedikiah we wouldn't interfere."

When Cara ignored him and continued to stare, he urged. "Let's get out of here."

She turned her head towards him, a strange mocking smile on her face. _"What? You think we can't take them?"_

Stephen was bewildered both by her words and by the fact that she had mentally blasted them. "Whattya mean take them? What are you talking about?"

But he was speaking to her back, because Cara had turned to pointedly stare at the duo. John had stiffened and raised his gaze from the girl's face when Cara had broadcast. Now, he unerringly zoomed in on them.

Cara snickering, said, "we're blown. Better make the most of it."

Stephen puzzled over her reasons for sending the mental blast. Surely she knew John would hear it. Suddenly he snapped his fingers. _I've been in this situation before. With Hilary. But I was sitting at the table, not John. _ He started, as he realized he was watching Cara's back as she purposely strode towards John's table.

Stephen hurried after her, giving a little jump and skip to catch up to her. He futilely tried to grab her arm, but she evaded his grasp.

Cara, a falsely bright smile on her face said, "Do you mind if we join you?"

She sat before anyone had time to say anything. The blonde girl had dropped her hold on John and swiveled around to face the intruder.

Stephen quickly said, "Ah, that's okay. We already got a table." He reached again for Cara, but she rebuffed him and instead yanked on his arm so hard he either had to sit in a chair or fall on his butt.

Cara's words were for Stephen, but she skewered John with her eyes as she said with pointed emphasis, "they don't mind the squeeze."

John didn't visibly react, but they all felt a quick agitated mental pulse. The blonde girl, surprised, turned to look at him.

John, recovering, smiled widely. "Sit down. Oh, wait. You already are."

"You two make such a cute couple." Cara cooed. "How long have you been together?" She looked the girl up and down and then raised her eyebrows at John. "Robbing the cradle though, aren't you?"

John, amused, leaned back and eyed her, before carefully responding. "We work together. I'm John and this is my trainee Katie." He recognized the two confronting him from files Jedikiah kept. "Katie, this is Cara Coburn and her boyfriend Stephen Jameson."

"Oh, yeah, where do you work?" Cara, looking over the rim of her martini glass, openly baited them.

The girl, recognizing their names and linking them with case files she had studied, eyed her with hostility. "I think you know where we work."

"Actually, I can guess. We're old friends of Jedikiah." Cara coolly explained. She made a point of looking from John to the very young girl, letting her eyes say what she thought of the bleached blonde hair, before addressing him. "I didn't realize your boss had you on babysitting duty now. Doesn't he think you're up to handling the tough cases?"

Stephen who had been listening open mouthed to Cara suddenly got an inkling of what she was up to. He had a flash of inspiration and from the dregs of his memory pulled up John's words, repeating them verbatim. "Come on baby, it's Saturday night. Who wants to talk work?"

Cara winked at him and smiled gratefully when John blinked, an uncertain look flashing over his face. It disappeared as quickly as it came, but it was obvious he was thrown off balance.

Katie's eyes narrowed spitefully, but she merely made a point of looking Stephen up and down and then switched her gaze to Cara. "Of course, you'd be concerned since everyone knows that you take a motherly interest in your friends. It must be a comfort knowing you'll have someone so much younger than you to look after you when you get older," the girl said in a sugary sweet tone.

"And Stephen, it must be so nice for you to have an older woman around to advise you, what with your mother leaving town and all." She sat back prepared to enjoy the reaction to her words.

Cara's face stiffened and her eyes flashed. Stephen silently groaned. He knew how self-conscious Cara was about the difference in their age. The girl had struck a nerve.

John, his eyes twinkling, said straight faced. "Home run hit."

Cara leaned back in her chair, dropping all pretense of friendliness.

"And by the way, in case you were wondering." The girl extended her hand. Cara cautiously accepted it only to be overwhelmed with images of Katie and John having sex.

Stephen feeling Cara's anger shuddered, dreading what she might do or say next. He looked quickly at John's face and could easily read his amusement.

Suddenly, John and Katie stiffened. Stephen and Cara felt it at the same time.

"Excuse us," John said as he stood. "Another time, maybe."

Katie quickly followed, leaving by a different exit.

Cara dashed out, trailing behind the blonde agent. She spotted her in the alley behind the business, slapping a suppression cuff, on a dazed TP, blood dripping from his cut lip. Cara raised both hands and sent a push knocking her into the wall.

Stephen dashed around the corner as Katie returned the push. She reached again for the TP only to have Cara teleport behind her and let loose with a round house punch.

The girls were fighting, no holds barred, the TP seemingly forgotten. It made Stephen wonder what they were really fighting over, a TP that Cara would be the first to admit should have his powers stripped. Or was it a tall, blonde, blue-eyed agent?

Suddenly John was there and without any forewarning, sucker punched Stephen a glancing blow to the side of his skull, knocking him down and out. John, not wasting even a glance at the struggling girls, teleported over to the TP, grabbed him and disappeared.

The girls were too involved with each other to notice.

He eventually returned. He stood for a moment watching the two TP. Cara had one hand wrapped in a twist of the girl's hair while she kicked her in the stomach. John, shook his head while grinning, and then pushed his hands out and away, forcing them apart. As the two slowly got to their feet, they had eyes only for each other. Since they showed every intention of renewing the fight, John pushed again, holding them against opposing walls.

His eyes took in each one in turn and he was secretly amused to see that they both had strands of the other's hair clinging to their fingers. "Ladies," he mock scolded. "TP agent and TP rebel leader and you pull each other's hair out?"

Cara defiantly said, "I got in a few good punches."

John, looking at Katie's split lip and the darkening patches on her forehead and cheek nodded. "Yeah, I guess you did."

As Katie opened her mouth to retort, John intervened. "Go back to headquarters and process our target. I left him there for you."

Katie's eyes flared. _"We'll continue this another time!"_ She sent that quick mental challenge before she obediently teleported out.

"_Any time!"_ Cara sent quickly and then took the opportunity to push at John, but nothing happened. Stunned, she spoke out loud. "John?"

John's mouth twisted. "Did you think you could overpower me?"

"I used to be able to."

John's brow furrowed and he tilted his head inquiringly. "Used to? I don't know you."

"Really? Doesn't anything about tonight feel familiar. Feel like you've done this before?" Cara searched his face, looking for any sign of recognition.

He shook his head slowly from side to side, denying her. "Why would it?"

"Ask your boss."

"My boss has a 'no contact' order out on you." John replied.

Cara smiled. "Ever ask yourself why, since we don't know each other?"

John was distracted by a muffled groan. He walked over to where Stephen was sprawled on the dirty paved surface. He watched as Stephen shook himself fully awake. He bent down on one knee while Stephen looked up at him. He hesitated a moment and then straddled the prone teen.

He wavered and then smiled before slowly bringing up a fist and punching Stephen in the jaw.

"Hey, what was that for?" Stephen, complained as he gingerly felt his lower face.

John's brow wrinkled. "I'm not sure. I felt like that was what I was supposed to do." John paused. "Like I did this before and that's how it ends." He shrugged. "It just felt so right."

Both their heads shot around as they heard Cara laughing. "You're right, John. That is how it ended last time." She smiled widely. "There's hope for you yet."

John got up and backed away slowly from them. He shook his head, as if clearing it, before shooting them a dismayed look and teleporting out without a word.

She was jubilant. "Hmmm! I see a way to get him to remember. We may yet get him away from Jedikiah. We just have to keep re-enacting some of what's happened before."

Eyes twinkling, an evil grin spread over her face. She nudged Stephen. "How do you feel about us half drowning John and then you making out with him . . . ah, sorry, I mean giving him mouth to mouth?"

The look on Stephen's face left her giggling like a little girl.

~ FIN ~


End file.
